"In 2004 Giant Sand had changed beyond recognition. The revolving door of band members that so invaluably contributed to a prolific and gifted past was now, literally, all over the map, and so were Giant Sand. Bassist Joey Burns and drummer John Convertino had now moved to pastures new with Calexico, in their place were a new Scandinavian backline which would enable Howe and Giant Sand to release the first original material since 2000's Chore of Enchantment. The reaction produced a record which at points harked back to the more rowdy and aggressive tones of Giant Sand of old, seemingly in search for the familiarity of earlier times, stretching in to new surroundings, distortion being the tool. The songs of course are great, Gelb's often whispered and crackly in-ear vocals, pretty piano, acoustic guitar (and with peppering of that distortion) all play their part to continue the Giant Sand train moving, um, all over the map." Includes download code.

"Recorded and broadcast way back when...an actual back yard barbeque that an old buddy and WFMU radio host Nick Hill had set up to broadcast and record live on air at the radio station...watermelon and everything! This BBQ record nicely captures the sweetness of the season when Giant Sand were turning into something else. This collection of songs was recorded by WFMU over two live sessions for 'The Music Faucet' show in the summer of 1994 and 1995." Includes download code.

"2002's Cover Magazine is a much less cryptic, typically literal title for one of Giant Sand's lighter alternative offerings. A collection of covers which says as much about Howe Gelb's personal musical taste as it does the friends he has made on his musical journey. Being in the fortunate position of looking back on Giant Sand's output with the 25th Anniversary reissue series, we are able to see the influences which have shaped the existence of the band at each turn and chapter. Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Nick Cave and of course Rainer Ptacek have all made an impression and the tables are turned as Giant Sand give thanks with renditions of Young's 'Out On The Weekend', Cash's 'I'm Leaving Now' and Rainer's touching 'The Inner Flame'. More contemporary takes on PJ Harvey and Goldfrapp show Giant Sand are forever keen and willing to listen. With Giant Sand's clattering percussion and Howe's meandering vocals, nothing should be assumed before listening. Each track is taken from a new (alternative, strange, weird, interesting, unexpected, intriguing) angle, so surprises are aplenty. A Black Sabbath lounge ballad anyone?" Includes download code.

Subtitled: Live From Punk Ground Zero, Cleveland 1975. "Fire Fidelity is thrilled to bring you this historic reissue by Ohio legends Rocket From The Tombs, The Day the Earth Met the Rocket From the Tombs. The Cleveland five piece (consisting of David Thomas and Peter Laughner, later with Pere Ubu, as well as Cheetah Chrome and Johnny Madanksy, later with the Dead Boys) formed in 1974, played only a handful of shows, never put out a record, and just 12 short months later called it quits, but in 2002 previously unheard demos, live recordings and bootlegs were unearthed culminating in enough material to make this album. These rare 1975 recordings come from three sources: the RFTT Rehearsal loft on Jul 18, the Picadilly Inn on July 24 and the Agora on May 5, and all serve to bear witness to the undeniable fact that Rocket From the Tombs' brand of proto-punk represents ground zero, and remains unmatched even 37 years later. Essential!" Housed in a full-color gatefold sleeve; with download code.

"When ESG's debut EP hit the streets in 1981, no one suspected the profound impact these songs would have on the history of music, particularly 'UFO' (which soon became one of the most sampled songs in the history of hip hop) and 'Moody' (which was a huge hit on the downtown post-punk music scene), and the ripple effect of these songs have been felt ever since. After their label, 99 Records, folded in 1984, ESG maintained a low profile until making a comeback in 1991 with this self-titled LP. This release featured the two original smash hits from their 1981 debut, plus three cuts ('A New Day', 'Standing In Line' and 'Crash') from their obscure 1987 Bam Bam Jam EP, along with some previously unreleased material." Includes download code.

"1994's Glum was to be Giant Sand's largest record and in order to make it so, Howe Gelb invited everyone along to the party. This carnival help create Giant Sand's best record to date and Glum is now proudly re-issued by Fire Fidelity. Howe Gelb explains Glum's story, 'This was our best record for a long time. It had Malcolm Burn producing it with me and it was done up at Daniel Lanois' studio in New Orleans. Since it was our first big budget session, I tried to get everyone who ever took part on a Giant Sand record to come to Dan's mansion and stay and be on the record somewhere. This made the atmosphere in the house more entangled then it had to be, but seemed like the way it should be. For some reason I began singing like an old man on this record, or maybe was inspired too much from my new talking distortion pedal on my guitar.'" Includes download code.

"Fire Fidelity re-issues the rare and regarded Black Out recording from 1993. Forged from the embers of the recording session which was Purge & Slouch, and wholly acoustic, this collection of takes was originally released only in Germany. Black Out sits proudly amidst the Giant Sand re-issue project. 'When we gathered for the grand experiment of Purge & Slouch, Howe Gelb recalls, 'the idea of which was to record without having written anything prior for it. Some actual songs did pop out, perhaps for the sake of warm-up or while mics were being wired maybe just for the sake of vigorous deployment. Re-living some old songs there and then, we bundled 'em up after the fact for what would become Stromausfall instead. This was a limited batch release on a small German label that took my original title Black Out and translated it. The idea being that this is the sound that would happen during one... songs without electricity attached.' Since then, most of that original pressing made in Germany has mysteriously self destructed so it is with pleasure we have the opportunity to release the album." Includes download code.

"What you have here is not only a reissue of one of the greatest punk debuts of all time, but everything the Adverts ever recorded before setting off to work on their second album. Along with all 13 tracks recorded for 1978's Crossing the Red Sea (including a version of 'Gary Gilmore's Eyes' originally intended for their US release and 'New Day Dawning', which was held back for a single), this deluxe double LP also includes the band's first three singles, along with six tracks taken from a never-before-heard recording of a gig the Adverts played at the Roundhouse in London in early 1978 (headlining over Sham 69), with brand new drummer, John Towe (from Generation X). A tape of this recording was just recently discovered sitting in a box in John's house, so this is the first time it has ever been heard by the public! Also featuring printed inners with lyric sheet and comments by T.V. Smith and author Dave Thompson!"

LP version, with a download card. "Teenage Fanclub's sugary indie sound is delivered with a forthright rock approach you'd expect from Big Star or Dinosaur Jr. Celebrating a career spanning two decades this collection highlights lost gems making them available once again in a lovingly packaged LP. "

"The received wisdom (at least in America) goes that punk rock was invented in New York by the Ramones, who reconfigured Midwestern hard groove rock and '60s garage singles, into a formula that defined punk: short, fast, catchy, and unstoppable. But in some weird parallel universe, punk might have traced its roots to Rocket from the Tombs, a Cleveland band that lasted less than eight months (1974-75), and never made a studio recording. In those eight months they wrote songs that would become punk anthems: 'Ain't It Fun,' 'Sonic Reducer,' 'Final Solution,' '30 Seconds Over Tokyo,' 'Amphetamine, and they played them like there was no tomorrow. These men are ugly, old, and have not mellowed in any conceivable way. They've devoted their lives to raging against the boundaries, and they have been willing to pay the price." Includes mp3 download card.